Ambulance with dying baby 'got lost on way to hospital', family lawyer claims

Solicitors for the family of a three-month-old baby who died claim an
ambulance service report into the tragedy outlines a 'catalogue of errors'
as it transported her to hospital.

Three-month-old Bella died on the way to the hospital.Photo: SWNS

By Agencies

1:34PM BST 20 Aug 2013

Bella Hellings died at West Suffolk Hospital on March 11 after she stopped breathing.

Her mother, Amy Carter, had to wait 26 minutes for an ambulance to arrive, which she says then got lost on the way to the hospital.

An inquest into her death is due to take place on September 26, but her family's solicitors claim a report from the East of England Ambulance Trust has already revealed the extent of its failings on the night of the incident.

The solicitors claim the report - which the trust has refused to release - reveals that the ambulance could not find Ms Carter's house; the first ambulance assigned to the call was on another call in Norwich, 30 miles away; another vehicle was free five miles away but was not despatched and the ambulance that was eventually despatched had to refuel on the way.

They also claim the report shows that the air ambulance was despatched with a clinician onboard, but the land ambulance was not notified and had collected the patient by the time the air ambulance arrived

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The solicitors also claim the ambulance got lost on its way to the Bury St Edmunds hospital.

The crew kept relying on a satnav for directions to Ms Carter's home in Thetford, Suffolk, despite controllers repeatedly telling them the correct route, it is also claimed.

A paramedic was then allegedly forced to pick up Bella and carry her into the hospital's accident and emergency department when the crew could not work the ambulance's tail-lift in order to use a stretcher.

Sharon Allison, Ms Carter's lawyer, said: "I see this report as an important first step towards establishing the facts and ensuring a dramatic improvement in the ambulance service.

"It was a catalogue of errors. The report portrays an organisation in a complete shambles.

"Little Bella was one of five patients to die following ambulance delays during March alone. For years it was known there was an alarming problem, but warnings went unheeded."

Ms Allison added that the trust now has "new senior managers, so we have to hope that our ambulance service will improve".

The inquest into Bella's death is due to take place at Norwich Coroner's Court.

An ambulance service spokesman said: "The East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST) can confirm that a thorough internal investigation has taken place and the findings have been shared as appropriate ahead of the coroner's inquest which is being held in Norfolk in September.

"As a Trust, we are in the process of recruiting more frontline staff and getting more ambulances on the road in order to improve our performance for patients living in those areas of most need. This approach is borne out of our turnaround plan published in April and, in effect, by increasing staffing and resources, we can help reduce journey times of crews and ensure that we are responding to patients more quickly."

The family has said it will consider its legal position after the inquest has taken place.